I have to admit, when I first saw knitted trainers I was thinking that they were ridiculous. I thought they looked pretty horrible, and did not really understand why I’d ever want a pair. That was around 12 months ago, and there were some pretty ugly designs and colours out there which did nothing for the trend.

Fast forward to 2016, and they are looking better and better. They’ve been given a couple of names, technical trainers, hi-tech trainers, knitted trainers, one thing is for sure, the big players Nike and Adidas are really going for it with this trend, and have brought out some seriously good trainers lately.

The Yeezy Boost 350 cane take some credit when it comes to popularising the knitted trend. It got new colours including the all black, which I think were the best of the collection.

Other than the fact they look different from the traditional leather or suede and interesting, they have some other unique features too. They are designed to be more fitted, like a sock, and are supposed to be very light in comparison to an all purpose leather trainer. They are more breathable and flexible, which is why so many have call them technical footwear.

Adidas And The Primeknit

Adidas call their knitted mesh style the Primeknit. The ZX Flux were a style which I did not like too much, and one of the reasons which put me off this trend. Adidas have now given some of it’s most famous and loved silhouettes, the Stan Smith and Superstar the Primeknit treatment, and I really love this makeover which they’ve had.

Nike Have The Flyknit

Nike call their knitted style the Flyknit. They say it’s ultralight and the upper contours to your foot for a comfortable and supportive fit. Just like Adidas, they have some really ugly models of trainer, but also have remixed some classics and brought out some new trainers for the Flyknit range. The Air Force 1, Air Max 1 and other Air Max varieties are available in the Flyknit style.

Favourite Nike Flyknit

My favourite from the Nike Flyknit range has to be the Airmax Flyknit. At £205, they are very expensive for some trainers, but they look really nice in the grey and dark colours, and are quite toned down in comparison to some other styles in this range.

I really love suede jackets as a fashion trend for the Spring, as well as suede for Autumn. In terms of the weather, Autumn and Spring are the perfect seasons for wearing a Spring jacket. It’s not cold enough for a Winter coat, and it’s not quite hot enough for a summer blazer or jacket. The only thing you have to be careful about is rain, suede’s natural enemy, although there are suede protectors on the market which you can get from a variety of places.

Suede is a type of leather with a napped finish, and is made when the top layer of the leather is separated from the bottom, rougher layer, which gives it it’s unique finish. As long as you keep it in good condition it’s fairly durable, and is usually made from goat or lamb.

With the crisp Spring air in full swing, it’s the perfect time to get into the trend of suede jackets, if you haven’t already. As mentioned it’s a trend I like, so over the past few years I’ve got myself a few really nice suede jackets, including a typical camel colour one from Mango, a navy blue from by Jofama, and a black one from indie brand Vanity Vice.

Suede For All – High Street And Luxury

As with it’s brother, the classic leather jacket, suede can be costly, but it doesn’t have to cost the earth. As with most higher end items, sometimes you get what you pay for, having said that, there’s a lot of really nice options out there for a reasonable amount of money. You should look at a suede jacket as an investment piece, providing you get a staple colour and style. On the high street you can expect to pay anything from £100 – £300, and the luxury market is out there on it’s own, where you can easily spend 4 digits on a jacket.

Colours Of Suede

When you think of suede the first thing that comes to mind in terms of colours is probably camel or beige. If your going for a traditional look, then this is perfect, but what if you are looking for something a little bit different? Not to worry. Suede, just like traditional leather jackets come in an array of different colours, including black, brown, blue, red and just about any other colour you care to imagine.

How To Clean Suede Jackets

A big thing which puts some people off suede is cleaning a suede jacket. Suede is a soft leather which is more vulnerable than other leathers, but is not something which should put you off. There are special suede brushes which you can buy which are relatively inexpensive. You should let the stains/scuffs dry and use the brush on them, and purchase the specialist sprays which are available. You should never use plain old soap and water. Always check the label on the jacket, as not all suede is created the same, and your jacket may have special instructions or give you a recommended guide in how to clean it. If you are in any doubt, you should take it to a local leather specialist cleaner.

Can I Wear My Suede Jacket In The Rain?

Suede and water do not mix well, however all is not lost if you’re out in your jacket and it starts to rain. How well the jacket will stand up will depend on the quality of the suede, and there are some steps you should take after exposing it to rain. First of all, let the jacket dry off naturally at room temperature. This may take some time, even up to 24 hours. Then use a suede eraser or brush to remove the marks, you should start off lightly and apply more pressure if needed. When you have the marks off, use the eraser or lightly damp cloth to work the fabric back to it’s smooth state. As mentioned above, there’s also protector sprays which you can use to treat your jacket just in case you get caught out in the rain.

My Favourite Suede Jackets This Season

Here’s a few of my favourite suede jackets this season, including my current favourites from REISS and Selected Homme, both in a stone colour which I really love.

Verdict

Suede is one of my favourite trends of this season, and I recommend joining the suede jacket owners club to add more variant to your look and outfits. Check out more of what’s hot and the latest trends in men’s fashion here.

I have been on a sort of spending/buying ban when it comes to clothing and fashion in recent times. I have so much, and I don’t need any clothes; From jackets to tees, jumpers to jeans, I have pretty much everything I could want or need, and a whole lot more on top of that. But this is fashion, and I guess there’s no such thing as too much, right? 😉

I saw these jeans from ASOS and I thought, they’re amazing! I need these! I have so many jeans, and I’ve experimented with colour quite a bit, incorporating white in my jeans as well as other colours, it really changes up an outfit from my usual black or indigo jean options. I love both of these of course, but it’s always a good idea to experiment a lot. I now have 3 or 4 pair of white jeans, which is a bit of a style don’t, if you’re building something like a capsule wardrobe, there’s no need for so many of the same item (more on that in a bit).

These jeans however, are very different. First of all the fit is a super skinny fit; I will confess…I liked the jeans so much I sort of missed the “super” part of the title and just bought them. They don’t call these super skinny for nothing, they really are skin tight! I will post a proper review of these soon. I love the colour, they are ecru, these photos really don’t do the colour justice. They have distressed patches which sold the jeans for me, it’s something different which I don’t have in my wardrobe.

The tees…If you read my blog last year you’ll know I love nautical trends, and I bought an H&M white nautical tee, as well as a Jaeger navy nautical T-shirt. There’s no need to double up on this style, but I saw these and had to get them. The ASOS tees come in a 2-pack, and for £14.99 you can’t pass on them. I’ve got a few ASOS tees and they’re pretty good quality, definitely good for the money. A good fit, nice feel and horizontal stripes for Spring/Summer, I really love this trend.

Keep a look out on the blog, I’ll be styling these up soon 🙂 If you’re looking for some inspiration on what’s good this season, make sure you’ve read the fashion trends, which goes into further detail.

What do you think of these? Do you have any trends you’re looking forward to exploring this season?

Autumn is a really good season for jackets of any kind. First of all since it’s after summer it’s getting cold, and gets progressively colder, which means a jacket goes from a casual item you may throw on, to a piece of clothing which you can’t leave the house without. There’s a huge amount of different jackets to wear, from a traditional leather jacket to a cotton bomber, a nylon light jacket or a light quilted jacket, there’s plenty on offer. However a favourite of mine for Autumn has to be a suede jacket.

I got this suede jacket last time round from Nelly. It’s by Jofama from the King 1 line, a Swedish fashion house specialising in premium fashion and leather. It’s a navy blue suede jacket in biker style, and I just love it. To wear it feels really premium and luxurious, the fit is brilliant and there’s lots of detailing such as the diamond quilted shoulders.

Suede keeps you warm enough when the temperatures are starting to get a little bit lower, and this style will keep you looking cool too 😉 Be wary of the rain, suede is not good when it rains, you can get protective sprays, but if you know it’s going to rain you probably want to choose another jacket.

I took these photos at Tynemouth Beach which I have never featured on the blog before. I forget that living in the North East we have so many great locations, the city is so good, there’s plenty of idyllic spots and we have a few blue flag beaches too!

I wore the jacket with my 90’s reissued Calvin Klein T-Shirt, A.P.C denim and Ultra Moire Air Max 1, all pieces which are favourites of mine 🙂 (Watch by D&G and Ray Bans, it was sunny! 😛 )

What do you think of the suede jacket trend? Read more about my favourite men’s fashion trends for the season and beyond.

The 90’s was an absolute immense decade for so many reasons; The music, the technology, the good times and of course the fashion. With a lot of cultures and sub-cultures being born or coming of age, there was such a rich diverse of style and fashion, a lot of it from the nineties music scenes like Brit Pop. I love shows set in the 90’s like This Is England 90, fashion was and still is a big part of life, and it’s done well in the show.

Are you looking to get some 90’s style, or create the perfect outfit? Read the guide below to know the best brands, key pieces of clothing and must have items for any 90’s style outfit.

Back in the mid 90’s fashion was all about sportswear, I was a teenager and lived in the stuff. The brand which was one of the most coveted was Kappa. They made football shirts for huge European teams such as Juventus and Barcelona, and general sportswear too. Everyone was into Kappa, and it was pretty expensive for clothing when we were teens back in the mid 90’s. I remember owning a few pieces, a tracksuit being one, as well as a zipped sweatshirt being fond memories.

I heard that Kappa were making a comeback, and were selling some of their old retro style tracksuits, as well as bringing back the brand for the new generation. I actually got the tracksuit last year, and did a small feature about it on the blog. Here I am styling it with some other 90’s and retro greats; Converse Chuck Taylor trainers, and the equally iconic Adidas Originals T Shirt. The tracksuit I previously owned as a teen was almost the same, but had the red background track pattern down the sleeves of the jacket and sides of the trousers. Still, this navy and white version was an absolute classic, and brings back a lot of good memories.

90s trends and fashion are back, and I love 90’s nostalgia whether that’s fashion or pop culture, and Kappa was a bit of both. It is of course not for everyone, and probably cringe-worthy for those who think they are into high fashion because they’ve once bought something from [insert designer name here], but it brings back memories of a great era that’s what it’s all about 🙂

Summer is here and one of the hottest fashion tips is ripped jeans. I really do like this trend, it really creates an edge to your outfit and can liven up your denim wardrobe by getting a pair or two of the ripped style.

There’s plenty of variety of ripped jeans, from distressed jeans with slight rips and cuts, to those with only the knee exposed, extreme rips and acid rips, tears and more. There’s not only a standard cut either, with skinny, slim, tapered and just about every other fit of denim available in a more rustic kind of look. Colour is important for the summer, and you can brighten up your look and keep it casual with a pair of white ripped up jeans.

DIY Ripped Jeans

If you have a few pairs of your favourite jeans or can’t find the exact look you want, then you can always customise your own jeans, with a DIY ripped jeans approach…Obviously they’ll never be the same again, so it’s probably best to do this on an older, or less expensive pair of denim you own. It’s as simple as using a pair of scissors, and add some distressing with sandpaper or wire wool.

However I think going down the road of having some already designed and manufactured with rips is the way to go, as there’s already a lot out there. I have found a few pair which I really like, my favourites are the ASOS skinny jeans with extreme rips in white, and are a bargain at only £21.

I’ve written about this fashion trend before, but I thought since it was 2015 I would give it a bit of a reboot. I am talking about cricket jumpers in fashion. I really like this and have done for a number of years. They work well in the cooler months of the Spring and Autumn, and since we’re right in Spring with crisp weather, there’s no better time to talk about them.

What Makes A Cricket Jumper

So you my be thinking, what makes a cricket jumper, a cricket jumper? The traditional look of a cricket jumper should be a cream V-Neck jumper, made from wool in a cable knit style, with contrasting stripes on the V-Neck. If you want to go the traditional and premium root, these are the key things to look for. There are some cheaper alternatives out there, these are usually made from a mix of fabrics or are 100% acrylic. These are perfect for those who don’t want to spend a huge amount of money on this trend, so if you want to dip in and out of it then it’s probably a better idea not to spend too much, this is not really a staple or investment piece. Cricket is of course a summer sport, but you probably don’t want to be wearing one of these out in the summer, it gets quite warm and these are thick, not to mention look their best with layering which I will get on to, so you’ll be far too hot in one of these in the summer.

What To Wear With Your Cricket Knit

So you know what a cricket jumper is, but how do you style it, and what do you wear with it? All V-Neck jumpers look their best with layering, and a cricket jumper is no different. A clean white shirt is the perfect choice to make when looking for what to wear with the knit. The cream colour of the knit and bright white of the shirt will create a very light, spring look for your outfit, and all you have to do now is select the lower half of your outfit.

For bottoms I would recommend chinos or light coloured jeans. This could be light greys, yellows, white or even brown. You want quite a toned down palette, you’re not looking for bright poppy colours, but more of a pastel kind of tone.

How I style My Cricket Jumpers

Here are a few images of how I have styled my cricket jumpers and created looks. Hopefully this should inspire you 🙂

In these pictures I have styled the cricket jumper with a classic indigo wash pair of jeans and a white shirt. The second picture I have teamed the look with a leather jacket.

In the first picture I have layered the cricket jumper with a white shirt and a suede jacket, along with classic blue jeans. The second picture I have teamed the cricket knit with some rust brown jeans and a red micro-check shirt. The cricket jumper featured in all these images is from DR Denim.

Welcome

Welcome to Michael 84, my blog about men’s fashion and lifestyle. I write about topics which we all love, including style, male grooming, travel, fragrance and tech, as well as the latest trends in menswear. Sharing my passion with clothing, from high street to high end brands.